The invention relates generally to swimming pool cleaners, and more particularly to the steering and dislodging of pool cleaners operable with a suction hose attached thereto.
Typically, when the contour of a pool surface is such that a portion of the cleaner body is able to contact pool side walls while another portion of the cleaner is in contact with the pool bottom surface, the cleaner has a chance of becoming stuck against the pool surfaces. This is often the case for pool side walls which are generally perpendicular to the pool bottom surface, such as steps within a pool and square bottomed pools, as described by way of example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,803,658 to Raubenheimer, and 4,133,068 to Hofman. In such circumstances, the drag induced on the cleaner body will over-ride or may substantially impair the cleaner operation and its normal traversing along the pool surfaces, causing the pool cleaner to remain in one position or stay at that position for an inordinate amount of time.
As described in application Ser. No. 09/113,832 for xe2x80x9cSubmerged Surface Pool Cleaning device,xe2x80x9d whose disclosure is herein incorporated by reference, the ability of a swimming pool cleaner to move away from obstacles, such as a step, is assisted by employment of a bumper ring extending around the body portion of the cleaner. Further, a weight is attached near a base of a front wall portion of the body, which weight compliments the action of the buoyancy member for turning the cleaner when traveling along a vertical wall of a swimming pool.
In view of the foregoing background, it is an object of the invention to provide a device that is easily adapted to operate with a swimming pool cleaner for dislodging the pool cleaner from an obstacle within the pool. It is further an object to allow a swimming pool cleaner to effectively negotiate out of corners and discontinuities within a pool surface to be cleaned and satisfy a need well known in the pool cleaning art. The present invention provides an effective improvement to the pool cleaner by providing a reliable level of steering.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention are provided by a device operable with a swimming pool cleaner for dislodging and permitting a steering away from obstacles within a swimming pool, wherein the device comprises a coupling adapted for attaching to a swimming pool cleaner. A first resilient elongate bumper member having opposing end portions affixed to the coupling so as to form the first elongate member into an arcuate shape extending at least partially around a forward portion of the swimming pool cleaner operating therewith. A second resilient elongate bumper member has a first end preferably attached to a central portion of the first resilient elongate bumper member and a second opposing end for attaching to the pool cleaner at a location proximate a lower portion of the swimming pool cleaner near a sealing flange thereof. In one embodiment herein described, a roller is rotatably attached to the second resilient elongate bumper member for rotation about an axis generally vertical to the surface to be cleaned during a contacting of an obstacle from which the swimming pool cleaner is being dislodged. Alternatively, the roller or multiple rollers may be attached to the first and/or second resilient elongate bumper members.